All India Muslim Personal law Board (AIMPlB) and Shia Personal law Board have flayed the Shia Waqf Board for meddling in the Ayodhya dispute.
The two bodies said that the Shia Waqf Board was spreading confusion as the Supreme Court is to commence day-to-day hearing on Ayodhya dispute from December 5.
Several Shia outfits have also condemned the Shia Waqf Board for its proposal to withdraw the claim of the community from the land where Babri masjid existed.
AIMPlB executive member and Babri Masjid Action Committee convenor Zafaryab Jilani ridiculed the formula and questioned the locus standi of Shia Waqf Board in Ram Janma Bhoomi-Babri masjid dispute.
``How can they submit a formula for out-of-court settlement in the Supreme Court as Shia Waqf Board is not a party in the dispute. The claim of Shia Waqf Board for registration of Babri masjid as its property was rejected by the court in 1946. The Shia Waqf Board remained silent after 2010 verdict by Allahabad High Court on Ayodhya dispute and suddenly the board has become an active claimant in the dispute which raises obvious questions,’’ said Jilani.
“It appears that Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi is surrendering his claim on his personal property. Do I have the authority to give Taj Mahal to anyone IJ The Chairman has some vested interests in the issue and everyone knows about his popularity in the Shia community,” said Jilani.
All India Shia Personal law Board also rejected the new formula of Shia Waqf Board for an out-of-court settlement of the dispute. Board spokesperson Maulana Yasoob Abbas reiterated his earlier stand that his organisation will support the stand taken by the AIMPlB on the Ayodhya issue and would not favour any out-of-court settlement.
“We stand by AIMPlB on the Ram Mandir issue. We will not accept any formula in which Muslims have to surrender their claim on Babri masjid,” he said.
Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi however rejected AIMPlB criticism saying that the job of the Board is to look after Muslim Personal law and they had no jurisdiction over Waqf properties of both Shia and Sunni sects.
“Some obscurantist ‘mullah’ in search of identity are trying to stoke the fire of communal hatred on Ayodhya issue. The construction of mosque comes under the jurisdiction of Waqf Board and some mullah and AIMPlB guided by narrow political agenda are interfering in the issue,’’ alleged Rizvi.